Vehicle lamp



Oct. 5 1926.

' W. c. TANNER VEHICLE LAMP Filed OGC. 24, 1,925

ITT-ev lPatented Oct. 5, 1926.-

WILLIAM CHARLES TANNER, OF WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND.

VEHICLE LAMP.

Application led October 24, 1925, Serial No. 64,631, and

This invention relates to vehicle lamps and particularly to that class of lamp 'in which the light may be shaded or softened.

The chief object of the present invention is to enable the glare from the lamps to be reduced or entirely obviated and that without, however, materially diminishing the 'illumination of the lamps;

According hereto, the lamp casing, c ontaining the usual reflector with the electric burner projecting therefrom, has a movable shade of semi-transparent material, normally arranged in front of the burner so as not to obstruct any of the light rays from the reflector, adapted to be moved rearwardly to surround the burner so that all the rays from the burner Will pass through the walls1 of the shade and glare will be obvia'ted. The shade is adjustable to any intermediate position so that a portion thereof may surround the burner, thereby allowing some rays only to pass through the shade. In such a case the outer portion of the reflector will reflect the softened light while the inner portion will reflect the full light from the burner.

The invention will now be described with the aid of the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1, is a sectional side elevation through a vehicle lamp showing my invention applied thereto.

Figure 2, is a fragmentary similar view but showing the shade in another position.

. tor and is guided in a'tube .the rear of the reflector.

Figure 3, is an end view ofthe shade.

vFigure 4c, includes a cross section of a means of securing the shade and a plan of a washer used therewith.

Referring to the drawings, the usual lamp casing 1 contains the reflector 2 and electric burner 3 projecting therefrom. A movable shade or screen in the form of a tube 4 of semi-transparent or translucent material encircles the burner 3. and is supported by a rod 5 arranged vertically, as shown. This rod is bent-at right angles and passes horizontally through an opening 6 in the reflec- 7 projecting from bent downwards for a short distance and enters a block 8 into which it would be securely fixed as, for example, by brazing'. A11- other wire 9, parallel with the horizontal portion ofthe wire 5, is similarly xe'd in the block 8. This portion 9 enters a tube 10 projecting from the rear of the reflector and The rod is then and not behind it.

in New Zealand September 5, 1925.

parallel with the tube 7. The U shapedy member thus formed is, therefore, guided in the tubes 7 and 10 and will retain the portion 5 upright during any sliding movement. The U shaped member is operable from'any part convenient to the driver by rods or the like connected to a rod 1l which is threaded through the block 8 and may be secured therein by a lock nut 12.

The tubular shade 4 is attached to the rod 5 by the rod passing through a hole 13 in the shade which is held rigidly on the rod by lock nuts 14.

The shade itself consists of a material which will be semi-transparent or translucent so that the rays of light from the burner may pass through the walls thereof without appreciably-,diminishing the light but preventing the glare from the reflector, and thereby producing a. soft light.

lfn Figure 1 the shade is in its normal position forward of the burner andthe light rays from such burner are reflected outwards by means of the reflector in the ordinary way.

Upon, however, the shade being drawn backwards to the position shown in Figure 2, the rays from the burner to the reflector will be intercepted by the shade and a diffusedV or softenedlight will be reflected outwards by the reflector, such light being very little diminished in quantity without any e fect of glare.

The shade may be adjusted to any intermediate position for the purpose of intercepting a portion of the rays from the 11eflector. Should the shade be'moved to the position indicated in dotted -lines in Figure l, only a limited number of raysfrom the burner will be directly reflected from the reflector, as shown by the dotted lines, while the remainder will pass through the shade to the reflector, so that the light from the outer part of the reflector will be soft while the light from the inner part of the reflector will be of full intensity. Therefore, the central portion will be of full intensity while the outer portion of the reflected light surrounding the central portion will be softened. For this reason, the normal position of the shade must be in front of the burner 1t will be obvious that the shade may be regulated to intermediate lao . This enables a bright light still to be directed on a portion of the road while surrounded b an area of soft light thereby reducing t e glare tor the driver of an approaching vehicle, but yenabling the driver of the on-going vehicle to see the road-way ahead.

By-means of the rod very little shadow will be cast by it and consequently there will be practically no diminution of light caused by this rod.

Figure a shows a preferred form of attaching the shade to the rod 5 where it will be noticed that Such shade is provided with flattened portions on each side of the wall of the shade in a recessed portion 16. A metal washer 17 having a tongue 18 to enter a groove 19 in the rod rests on the bottom lock nut 14 and a rubber washer 20 is interposed between the metal washer and the flattened surface of the shade. Another rubber washer 21 is inserted between the upper lock nut and the flattened surface of the inner side of the shade. This will enable the lock nuts to be screwed up tightly and prevent any turning of the shade on the rod.

What 1 ,claim is 1. 1n a vehicle lamp of the kind in which is used a curved reflecting surface having an' electric burner in the center thereof, a tubular shade of semi-transparent material normally arranged in frontof the burner so as to not obstruct any of the light rays from the burnerlt'o the reflector and arranged to be moved rearwardly to 4surround the burner so that all the rays from the burner pass through it to the reflector, the tubular shade l being supported on a single vertical rod bent at right angles to pass through the reflector and guided so as to move in a direction parallel to the direction of the rays from the reflector.

2. lln a device according to claim 1, the rod passing through a pipe projecting rearwardsfrom the reflector, the rod being bent downwards and secured in a block and another rod screwed in said block and bent to run parallel with the irst rod and lguided in a pipe projecting rearwards from `the rei-lector, and means attached to the block for operating the said shade.

3. 1n a device according to claim 1, the

shade formed with flattened surfaces surrounding the opening to receive the-rod, lock nuts threaded on such rod, a metal washer between a flattened portion and a lock nut, andrubber washers upon the attened surfaces of the shade.

lin testimony whereof, 1 have signed my name to this specification. v

WllLLlAM CHARLES TANNER. 

